Coal-car cover.



n. M. GRE/IR.

COAL CAR COVER.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.8. Isls.

1,291,481; Patented Jan.14,19'19.

@3M Wit/wwwa DAVID M. GREAR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COAL-CAR. COVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

Application filed August 8, 1918. Serial N o. 248,929.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAVID M. GREAR, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and: State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coal-Car Covers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is 'a coal car cover and has for its principal object the production of a device which will prevent the unauthorized access to the coal within the car.

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Another object of this invention is the production of4 a coal Acar cover wherein a plurality of the hinged sections are carried by the car body to fit over'the coal carried by the car to prevent unauthorized access thereto.

Another object of this invention is the production o f a coal car cover wherein the sections may be swung open to positions to allow access to the interior of the-body by an authorized party.

Another object of this invention is the production of coal car cover wherein the hingedsections are hood-like in construc- 'tion to fit over coal within the body which may bestacked above the top of the car, the'sections also being provided with flat tops to provide a walk to allow a trainman to walk therealong, while the guards extend longitudinally of the sections and prevent the trainman from accidentally falling from the cover when walking therealong.

One practical form lof construction and assembly of the present invention will be hereinafter described and is illustrated in the drawing, in which-'- i Figure 1 is a side elevation of the coal car cover showing the same mounted upon a car body. l

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the car cover, in a closed position, and i Fig. 3 is a central transverse section through the cover in a closed position, a portion of the car body being shown in fragmentary section.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is herein illustrated, it will be noted that a coal car is indicated in general at 5 having the usual dumping arrangement indicated in general at 6. As is well known, these coal cars generally now in use, are open at their upper portions and for this reason on sidings they are often robbed of their contents.

In order to overcome this objection, the

present invention may be employed. The hinged sections which form the present invention are similarly constructed and comprise back walls 7 having end walls 8. The back walls and end walls are also provided with flat tops 9. It will be noted that the back walls 7 of the hinged sections slant upwardly and for this reason each hinged section comprises a hood like structure, as it is substantially conca-ved in cross section, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The brackets 10 are provided with off-set ends and are fixed upon the body 5, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The leaf sections 11 are fixed upon' the back walls .7 of the sections and are hingedly connected to the bracket portions 10 as indicated at 12, thus hingedly lcoinecting the hinged sections to the car It will be noted that a completed section is substantially one-halfthe width of the car body, although it extends longitudinally of the car body throughout its entire length. Therefore, when the two sections are iu a closed position as indicated in the several figures of the drawing, the sections will it over the coal carried within the car body 5, even though this coal may be stacked above the upper portion of the car body, thus shielding the same from access thereto. It is obvious that a hasp 13 may be connected to one end wall of the hinged sections at each end of the car, and may be retained in engagement with the remaining end wall by a connection as indicated at'lll, which may be a pad lock or a plug retained by the usual seal for car doors. Therefore, it will be seen that the cover will be held in closed position.

When access is desired to the interior of the car body 5, it is obvious the sections may be unlocked and then swung to open positions. and at this time, they will rest upon the side surfaces of the car, fitting very close thereto, so as not to interfere with a passing car when the sections are in open positions.

Vertically extending walls 15 are formed on the sections adjacent the junction of the flat tops 9 and the slanted backs 7. It will be noted that these vertical walls 15 extend longitudinally of the sections and are of the same length as the sections. Therefore, when the sections are in closed position, two of such vertical walls are parallel, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. As the tops 9 are fiat, they will extend in alinement with each ing the walls solid, it is obvious that if the that when in a closed flat tops 9 are slippery and the trainman should happen to slip, it will be impossible for him to slip under the walls and be Vthrown from the top of the closed sections.

It will therefore be seen that a very simple and efficient cover has been provided for preventing unauthorized access to the interior of the car when the covers are in closed positions, although the sections may be swung to open positions to allow free access to the interior of the car, if so desired by an authorized party. It will bev noted that the construction of the sections is such condition, they will t over coal which may be stacked above the upper portions of the car body, while the flat tops provide an eflicient walk or runway for the trainman to pass over, and the guards at the side portions of these flat tops for preventing the trainman from being thrown or from passing accidentally to one side and from the top' of the cover, while the train is in motion.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred, orv approved, form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of thej appended claims.

Having thus described my what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a car, covers hingedly mounted upon said car,

tendingv walls carried by said covers and exand vertically eX- tending longitudinally thereof, whereby said walls will extend parallel to each other, thus preventing a trainman who is walking or standing between the walls from slipping and falling beyond either side of the car.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a car, covers hingedly mounted upon said car, said covers comprising slanting back walls having flat tops, the back wall and top of each cover having end walls, thus forming concaved covers, and a guard means carried by each cover at the junction of the backs and flat tops thereof, whereby the guard means will bein parallel arrangement when the covers are in an operative position, thus Apreventing a trainman from being vthrown or walking from either side of the flat tops. v

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a car,- covers hingedly mounted upon said car, each cover comprising a slanting back'having a flat top, vend walls connecting the flat topy andyback .of

each section to form a hollow structure, and

combination with a boX car having an openw of a cover therefor made 1n two seci top; tions whereof each has an inclined back wall hinged at its lower edge to the upper edge of the side of the car-body, upright end Walls `adapted to contact with the upper edges lof ftheends of the car body when the section is closed, and a flat top, said tops standing edgeto edge 4when the cover sections are closed, and upright walls along the jouter edges of said tops, for the purposes*V invention, f f F set forth. .4

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Y DAVID M. GREAR. Witnesses: i

t FRANK PREER, CEAS. J. PERRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivey cents each, by addressing theommissioner ofY'Pa-tents, Washngtom. l

the flat tops and may the usual. functions, withoutk soY 

